Identity Week

A festival dedicated to the identity of villages

Identity Week is the cultural event that brings Pietramontecorvino to life every May. This small town in the northern Subappennino Dauno, located in the province of Foggia in the heart of the Monti Dauni, is recognized as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy. Awarded the Orange Flag by the Touring Club and listed among the Authentic Villages of Italy, Pietramontecorvino provides the backdrop for a packed calendar that combines culture, scientific research, religious tradition, and sports.

The festival was created to analyze and revitalize development prospects for villages in inland areas, the backbone of an Italy that preserves authentic cultural traits. Centered around the two main days of the Patronal Feast of Saint Albert the Norman (May 16 and 17), the event spans twenty-five days with activities spread across the Ducal Palace, the San Pardo Theatre, the Abbey Church, and the streets of the historic center.

The Feast of Saint Albert and the pilgrimage-procession

The most deeply felt moment is the pilgrimage-procession in honor of Saint Albert the Norman, the patron saint of Pietramontecorvino. Since 1889, every May 16, the faithful walk the approximately six kilometers that separate the town from the ancient medieval Castrum of Montecorvino, the settlement destroyed by the Normans in the 12th century. Tradition commemorates the miracle of the rain with which the saint quenched the fields parched by drought. Along the path, towering wooden poles decorated with colorful drapes are paraded, balanced by devotees with the help of long ropes: a caravan visible for kilometers against the green of the wheat fields. The following day, May 17, the celebration continues with an urban procession through the village streets.

Culture, science, and innovation

Identity Week provides ample space for study sessions and the enhancement of the territory. The calendar alternates between conferences on the art of mosaic and its conservation, presentations of restoration and seismic safety projects for the Tower of Montecorvino, round tables on the development of the Monti Dauni, and events dedicated to the historical memory of the village, with reports curated by scholars, the Superintendency, and research bodies such as the CNR and the Polytechnic University of Bari.

Tradition, gastronomy, and sports

Alongside the cultural and religious dimensions, there are plenty of popular events: the sports competition for black truffle hunting, a typical product of the Monti Dauni, the local football tournament, and the Saint Albert Race, a running event that closes the festival every year by crossing the countryside around the town.

Why attend

• Experience one of the most evocative identity-focused processions in Puglia, with decorated poles carried toward the Castrum of Montecorvino.
• Discover one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, exploring the Ducal Palace, the Terravecchia district, and the stone alleys.
• Participate in conferences, scientific meetings, and sports events held throughout the month of May.
• Savor typical local products, first and foremost the black truffle of the Monti Dauni.